Constitutive formulations for intrinsic anisotropy in soft electroelastic materials

Abstract

Inspired by biology and engineered soft active material systems, we propose a new constitutive formulation for a soft material consisting of soft contractile fibers embedded in a soft matrix. The mathematical implementation of the model is based on a multi-field invariant formulation within a nonlinear continuum mechanics framework. The coupled constitutive formulation highlights a new electromechanical coupling term that describes the intrinsic (or active) anisotropy due to the contractile units. The model demonstrates the relative role that intrinsic anisotropy plays in the overall stress response. The resulting formulation could be used to design and inspire the development of new soft material systems that seek to replicate three dimensional biological motion.